The Wahpeton times., 1887-12-29
'rT'Se,.! ~, 80 =
WILD GEESE.

Is S. as WILD GEESE.
What May BE Daily seen IN Oak ota.
For the information and. perhaps,
benefit of sportsmen. says letter from
Harrisburg, Dakota, I will give faint
description of what we are daily wit
Messing of the grand armies of the
strong-wingcl birds whose name heads
this letter. OF the variety known fur
thcr south us wild geese, the '.honk-
crs." as they are called. from their
peculiar cry when ON wing, we see
large numbers. A great many of them
nest aud breed about the small lakes in
our ne,gl,borhood. and people often
take the eggs aud hatch them und or
domestic birds, either geese or heus.
Besides these there are the brat q
smaller. gray goose. and the beautiful
snowy geese. Of these last there seems
to bc no limit to numbers. The air is
almost constantly filled with thcir
notes, md one can scarcely look up ut
the sky-which IS wonderfully wide
from these highlands-without seeing
tiocks of these magnificent birds wheel.
ing across it in one direction or anotl,-
er. No mathematics yet invented could
cnumerate the hosts that have so far
appeared. instantaneous photo.
grahpy is the only method by which
any truthful representation can he CIV
en- of their hosts. We rode out Il dav
or two since. to the lake (Namhuska,
! sonnet mes called Stump lakc). The
day was one of the mellow, golden.
bracing, thoroughly enjoyable days that
October sometimes brings even TO you
poor dwcllcrs amid the midst and
damps of Indiana. but to us she is law
ish Of such treasures during her entire
reign. All the day and the days before
'-one can not tell for how long-tlocks
of geese, in countless numbers. were
sailing overhead in ranks and clusters
of ranks. some dark and some snowy
white. with black tippdc-wings. They
are congregating about our beautiful
lake. probably making preliminary
arrangements for their southern flight.
The whole blue vault. which showed no
cloud, was lined in every direction by
ranks of snowy birds. The afternoon
sun shonc full upon their brilliant plum
age. tinging it !, full golden color, than
which no bird of paradise could bc more
dazzling. aud the vast numbers on wing
of shining, goldhued hosts made one
OF the finest sights that one can behold
l never before saw anything to equal it.
When we come in full view of the lake,
where there are several miles of waite,
in sight, there was another remarkable
/ for
was full of flying birds, the surface o.
glistening water was Il hundred times
more so. Along the further shore and
far out from land there were thousands
of geese floating so close together tha
one saw no glimmer of water between
them.
Midway between the shores islands
of geese floated. but appeared. to OBJ
servers OH the high banks. like still
inanimatc earth, covered with fresl
fall of snow. Sportsmen were crouch
ing here and there behind clumps o
bushes. and every now and then 81 tle.
shot echoed along the woodlands; but
what were few sportsmen among
such multitudes of birds?
My neighb0r. tho postmaster. brought
in half II dozen geese, tho result of two
or three odd l,alf-hours' sport. Another
ncighbor took twelve the same day.
One man shot fourteen within thirt,
minutes. The flesh of these birds u
excellent, and in this climate can bu
kept a long time. A party of sports
men are here now from Florida, and
will spend week or more.
Two gentlemen from Boston spent
week here shooting. and baggcd larg.
number Of ducks and several geese
They left for home about two week.
ago. Had they remained II now the
sport would. perhaps. have been NOR.
satisfactory. as the larger birds are fal
more numerous at this time than :
month earlier. AS it was. however
these Boston men were so we'll pleased
with their trip. and with the opport,,
mites for good shooting, that they lei,
their canoe here for next year use
In passing. will just mention that we
have a survey made and stakes set fol
- RAILROAD to our burg. which is prom
ised to lbe built next year. In n country
where a railroad can be built ut the rate
of seven miles per day, us the Manitoba
has been doing the past season between
DEVILS lake and Montana it is easy to
believe that we may nos wait long fol
the whistle of the engine. Any goof
Hoosier who wants line sport and
boundless pure air, better than all the
medicines and milk shakes in the conn
try to set one up in good. sound health.
can lind both right here with title
trouble.